This invention is a physical exercise training device and more particularly to a self-contained, hand-transportable device for use in rehabilitation clinics, personal home settings, and public and personal training facilities.
The squat is a well-known exercise for the muscles of the thighs, knees, hips and buttocks, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body, and is commonly used in rehab programs. The advantage of the squat is that it is a closed-chain exercise where ankle, knee and hip joints must be coordinated, developing a functional movement pattern as well as training the muscles. All the knee muscles—quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius—are involved in the squat to a greater or lesser extent.
The squat can be performed in a variety of ways. It may involve the use of barbells or be performed without any resistance weights, but elements such as proper knee angle with the degree of knee flexion, foot position with wide or narrow stance, are always important.
Proper squatting technique is crucial because if not performed correctly the squat can cause a great deal of stress and strain on the knees. When performing the squat exercise people tend to have their knees knock inward, which puts stress on the MCL and predisposes them to MCL injuries. Also, when training, people tend to shift their weight forward and allowing their knees to move forward past their toes. This improper technique produces shear force on the ACL and will over develop the quadriceps muscles.
During rehabilitation and learning how to train, the clinician or personal trainer needs to spend time over and over again teaching and re-teaching squat technique. A need exists for a device that will insure that extra time is not wasted during the teaching and re-teaching phase, allowing the clinician to work more efficiently. The clinician/trainer needs to be reassured that when their subject is performing squats, under their supervision or not, their technique is flawless. As the individual progresses through their lower body exercise programs, the gap between body weight and weight resisted squats should be bridged. Many lower body exercise equipment are large and bulky and do not monitor safe technique. A need exists for a device that is light weight, easy to setup, take down, store, transport and use.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-contained, hand-transportable exercise training device kit readily assembled which is stable and free-standing, and included in this object is the provision of an exercise device for performing such exercises without the need of weights.